Today we are starting to become a little leery of our health care. We are starting to think that ‘progress’ is overrated, or at least when it comes to ignoring centuries old practices that have been proven to work. Using some of these old practices is what holistic practitioners do.
Professionals who don’t just treat one aspect of the person but rather incorporate the whole person: mind, body, and spirit, are using the ‘whole’ or holistic approach to health care. These practitioners use many non-invasive, drug free techniques to help keep their patients healthy and to help treat chronic problems. Unlike drug therapies, these holistic methods don’t have the negative side effects associated with many prescription drugs.
Modern western medicine tends to look at the symptoms of an illness only after they’ve presented themselves there is little focus on prevention. The whole person, mind, body, and spirit is largely ignored with the focus only on that one part that is sick. Rarely do they look for the underlying cause but merely treat the symptoms.
Holistic medicine, on the other hand, takes a completely opposite approach. They focus on the mind, body, and spirit and encourage practices that can prevent illness from happening in the first place.
A holistic professional can use various methods to help their patient achieve and maintain good health and well being. Some of the most common methods used are: acupuncture, massage therapy, aromatherapy, meditation, and Chinese herbal medicine, to name just a few.
The holistic approach recognizes that the human body is designed to heal itself and sometimes just needs a little help. Just changing some simple daily lifestyle choices can have dramatic effects on the body and it’s ability to prevent and even cure many illnesses.
Many of these holistic approaches are starting to be recognized and endorsed by the once resistant ‘traditional’ medical community. With the awareness that not all man made medications are good for us and often create their own set of problems a lot of doctors are starting to incorporate a more holistic approach in their practice.
Most states require some type of licensing for anyone who is treating people using these methods. Most holistic professionals have as much, or nearly as much, schooling as a regular M.D.
If you don’t believe that just ‘popping a pill’ every time you have a health issue is the best way to go, if you are concerned with the long term side effects of taking a lot of medications, or if you just think that prevention makes more sense than waiting until there is a problem and treating it after it occurs, you should find holistic practitioners in your area and learn how you can become more pro-active in regards to your health.
